As much as you can eat healthily, it is also important to remember to drink healthy, too. And what better way to do this, than to try out delicious Ghanaian drinks which are rich in nutrients.
When we think about beverages one can enjoy, our thoughts quickly rush to, coffee, tea, carton juices, and carbonated drinks. But here, in West Africa, Ghana, we can boast of amazing and healthy traditional beverages.
In this post, we look at five popular local beverages you should try out while in Ghana, and how they are prepared.
1. Lamugin
This is a local drink, usually made with ginger and rice. It is very popular in the northern part of Ghana and some parts of southern Ghana. It is also known as ‘Hausa beer’.
INGREDIENTS
• Ginger
• Rice or Millet
• Vanilla essence (optional)
• Cloves (pepper)
• Water
• Sugar
• Tamarind, also known as ‘Samia’ in the Hausa language.
PREPARATION
• First, soak the rice or millet overnight (uncooked) to make it soft.
• Drain off the water and blend the rice or millet.
• Add water, cloves, and ginger and blend together.
• Sift, add sugar, and stir.
It can be taken in, at any given time, and served cold.
2. Bissap drink (Sobolo)
This is a Ghanaian favourite, and appreciated by Western Africans at large.
Due to its nutritious benefits and great taste, it is most preferred during occasions and events such as weddings, festivals, parties, etc.
Sobolo is prepared with Hibiscus leaf and flavoured with other fruits.
INGREDIENTS
• 2 cups Hibiscus leaves
• 1 medium-sized riped Pineapple
• 2 tbsp Pineapple syrup
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Ginger
• 3 grains grains of Hwentia (Grains of Selim)
• 1 piece of prekese (Tetrapleura Tetraptera)
PREPARATION
• Pour Hibiscus leaves in a large saucepan and add water.
• Under high heat, put Hisbicus leaves on fire.
• Wash and peel pineapples and ginger.
• Add the pineapple peels and hwentia to Hisbicus leaves. Allow it to boil for 10-15 mins(Until water changes color)
• Using a sieve or colander, drain and separate the drink from the cooked leaves and peels. Sobolo preparation steps
• Blend pineapple and ginger until smooth. Pour into the sobolo drink and stir
• Allow the drink to cool down completely before you add your sugar and pineapple syrup(if preferred)
• Store in fridge before use or add ice to sobolo drink.
Benefits of drinking Bissap/Sobolo Drink
• Fights fever and nausea.
• It helps in digestion and eases stomach upset.
• Studies have revealed that drinking Hibiscus tea lowers blood pressure in a group of pre-hypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults.
3. Pito
This is a type of beer common in Northern Ghana, parts of Nigeria, and other parts of West Africa. It is prepared from fermented millet or sorghum. Made by household-level producers, it is typically served in a calabash outside the producer’s home.
INGREDIENTS
• millet or sorghum
• water
PREPARATION
First, sorghum or millet is taken to the mill to be ground into powder, or this can be done in a blender. The powder is then mixed with water, stirred thoroughly, and left to settle. Once settled, the water on top of the mash is poured out, and the remaining mash is boiled. When the boiling is done, the mixture is poured into a different container and left to ferment for 24 hours. Once the fermentation process is complete, the mixture is boiled once more and then drained to separate the solid substance from the liquid.
After the liquid cools down, your sumptuous drink is ready for consumption.
4. Brukina
Also known as Burkina or millet drink, this is a Ghanaian street food (drink) made of millet and milk. It is usually produced and consumed in the Northern parts of Ghana.
Rich in Vitamins (B1, B2, B3 and B6), it is also rich in calcium, which helps regulate contraction of muscles, nerve conduction, build strong bones, etc.
INGREDIENTS
• Millet
• fresh cow milk
• milk powder optional
• water
PREPARATION
• Pour the millet into a sizeable pan.
• Wash it and soak it overnight.
• Drain the water out of the soaked millet.
• Grind it into a rough or coarse texture. You can use a blender or take it to a mill near you.
• Take a cup and fetch the millet into the sieve and use your hands to roll vigorously over them until they form tiny balls.
• Pour water in a cooking pot and place it on your stove or coal pot over high heat.
• As the water gets heated, pour the tiny millet balls into the colander and place it as the lid on your cooking pot.
• Use some of the millet with water to form a thick paste
• Use the thick paste to plaster around the colander and cooking pot to prevent the vapour from escaping.
• Cover the colander tightly and allow the vapour from the hot water to soften it.
• Turn it from time to time to make sure it’s uniformly cooked.
• When the millet balls become soft and well cooked, pour it into a basin and allow it to cool down.
• After cooling, pour fresh milk and mix them thoroughly.
• Add sugar to taste.
• Add some ice cubes to make it chilled
5. Tiger Nut pudding aka Atadwe milk
Last is Atadwe milk. Atadwe milk or tiger nuts pudding can get watery and ruined right after making and serving it. To prevent this during preparation, stir in the same direction from start to finish.
INGREDIENTS
- Tiger nuts
- Rice
- Water
- Milk(optional)
PREPARATION
• Separately soak rice and tiger nuts in water overnight.
• Wash and rinse both tiger nuts and rice till water is cleared. Pour into a blender or food processor. Pulse to form coarse flour.
• Add three cups of water and blend to form a smooth puree. Pour small batches onto a cheese or silk cloth and carefully squeeze the liquid out to extract the milk.
• Pour the remaining chaff into the blender or food processor. Add two to three cups of water to the chaff and blend again. Pour into small batches onto a cheese or silk cloth and carefully squeeze the liquid out to extract any remaining milk.
• Pour the extracted milk into a heavy bottom pan. Add 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar. Place on medium-low heat. Using a wooden ladle stir continuously till thickened and no longer tasting raw. (NB- Stir in the same direction from start to finish, see notes)
• Pour into individual serving glasses. Serve warm or cold with or without evaporated milk. Well-cooked tiger nut pudding or atadwe milk stays fresh in the fridge for up to two weeks.
SOURCE: https://myrecipejoint.com/sobolo-bissap/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pito_(beer)
https://myrecipejoint.com/how-to-prepare-brukina-millet-drink-in-ghana/
https://biscuitsandladles.com/homemade-atadwe-milk-tiger-nut-pudding/
PC: Biscuits and laddles
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